TNMU Professor Participated in the Project and Training on Rehabilitation
I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University (TNMU) has become a participant in the project “Rehabilitation in Ukraine (Rehab4U)” thanks to the support of the American people, provided through the U.S. Government and implemented by Momentum Wheels for Humanity. The project brought together representatives of higher education institutions and leading experts in evidence-based practice in physical therapy. This initiative is an important step aimed at strengthening the rehabilitation sector in Ukraine and ensuring access to high-quality rehabilitation services.
The project has been implemented by Momentum Wheels for Humanity since July 2024 with the support of the U.S. Government. Its goal is to build a sustainable rehabilitation system that will promote people’s return to active life, their social integration, as well as the economic recovery and growth of the country. Within the framework of the “Rehabilitation in Ukraine (Rehab4U)” project, which is a multi-year initiative aimed at developing sustainable integrated rehabilitation services in Ukraine’s healthcare system, a training course for university lecturers was conducted. From TNMU, Professor Daria Popovych, representing the Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Education, took part in this course.
The course “Evidence-Based Practice” was designed for lecturers who train physical therapists and teach disciplines related to evidence-based practical activity. It was developed with the involvement of international consultant Dr. Tiffany Shubert (PhD, PT), a physical therapist, researcher, and educator with more than 35 scientific publications and significant experience in implementing evidence-based programs for rehabilitation professionals. The course included four online sessions (via Zoom) held from July 26 to September 9, 2025, and three offline sessions conducted from September 17–19, 2025.
As a continuation of the course, a training program “Evidence-Based Practice” was organized on September 17–19, 2025, in Kyiv in offline format as part of the Rehab4U project. This event was held at a high professional level and addressed pressing issues related to the scientific and practical evidence base in rehabilitation.
The aim of the training was to develop practical skills in formulating clinical questions, searching for and evaluating evidence, applying it in clinical decision-making, as well as advancing strategies for fostering a culture of evidence-based practice in higher education institutions.
The participants gained new knowledge in the field of health research, which will be implemented in the practical training of students of specialty I7 “Therapy and Rehabilitation.” The training gathered representatives from 19 higher education institutions in Ukraine, responsible for teaching this discipline, who will integrate the principles of evidence-based practice into their curricula for future physical therapists.
The “Evidence-Based Practice” training provided the academic community with an opportunity to outline further steps for strengthening evidence-based practice in the preparation of future physical therapists and specialists in physical and rehabilitation medicine. TNMU’s participation in this initiative became a significant contribution toward shaping practical skills in formulating clinical questions, evidence retrieval and evaluation, its application in clinical decision-making, as well as developing strategies to support a culture of evidence-based practice in Ukrainian higher education institutions.
Such initiatives are crucial for the development of specialty I7 “Therapy and Rehabilitation” and for introducing effective practices into the clinical work of physical therapists and rehabilitation physicians through evidence-based methods. The event, held in both online and offline formats, was organized at a high professional level and covered current issues of the scientific and practical evidence base in rehabilitation. Applying the results of modern research in daily practice forms the foundation for training a new generation of professionals according to international standards, fostering a new culture of practical activity, and paving the way toward a sustainable future.
Інформацію підготувала професор рія Попович.